Ian Doescher - William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return

Form up, good lads, and stay alert. We could
Within this tiny shaft lose space with haste.

This passage is a narrow path indeed.
If we can but maneuver cunningly,
We shall escape the Death Star with our lives
And, what is more, our hop’d-for victory.
I prithee, pilots all, attend my words:
Lock all thy weapons to the largest source
Of power, which should be the generator.

Alas, friends, I am hit, and go to die!

I would not even one more pilot lose
Who under my command doth fly herein.
Pay heed, all: separate by diff’rent paths
And fly toward the surface. See if you
Can draw a few TIE fighters thither, too.
This is the surest hope for our success
Against the Death Star and its minions.

—Aye,
Thou speakest well, Gold Leader. We’ll obey.

Ah!

—Pardon, Han, I did say not a scratch,
But did, in this tense moment, break that vow.
Yet thou and I both know it could be worse—
Our Falcon hath known scrapes in times now past.
Still, that last brush was far too close; so shall
I try to take more care with borrow’d wings.

Our fighters must be given yet more time.
This victory is here, within our reach.
Thus, concentrate thy pow’r unto the main,
And give the Empire much o’er which to fret.
Within a fiery blaze of weaponry
Let us the Super Star Destroyer wrap.

Alas, Sir, our deflector shield is lost!

Intensify the forward batteries.
Let nothing break the bounds. Intensify,
As well, the forward firing power.

—Nay!
Too late it is. We die, Sir—O, we die!

O Luke, I prithee: render thy support
And help me take this mask off.

—If I do,
Dear father, thou shalt surely meet thy death.

Aye. Naught shall stop that now, my son. Just once
Let me look on thee with mine own eyes, Luke—
These eyes that miss’d your mewling newborn face,
These eyes that did not see your budding youth,

These eyes that were not there to see you grow,
These eyes that saw thee not when thou wert train’d.
I prithee, let these eyes see thee at last.
’Twill be a fitting prelude to my death.

My father, thou dost break my heart in twain.
Behold, for thou shalt see thy son, indeed.

My misting eyes are nothing like my son’s—
Thou art so beautiful to me. How strong
Thy features, with thy mother’s gentle face.
A man thou art, and ev’ry part my son.
I never have been prouder, all my life.
These final moments are pure gift. Now go,
And take thy leave ere this place is destroy’d.

But nay, thou shalt come with me. I shall not
Desert thee, but shall save thee yet.

—O, Luke,
Thou hast already done. Thou knewest right—
Thou knewest what I was, for still there was
Some good within me aching to be free.
Tell thy sweet sister this: that thou wert right.

O Father, fare thee well where’er thou goest,
And flights of Jedi sing thee to thy rest!

Good General Calrissian, the core
We now have reach’d—’tis here, within my sight.

I see it too, Wedge. Let us strike it down!
Approach the power regulator there,
Upon the northern tower. Let it burn!

I hear and do obey, Gold Leader. Soon
It shall be done, and then I exit quick.

Light up, you vicious beast of evil bent,
You sick creation of humanity’s
Most wretched and deprivèd sense of right—
Since you could not inspire love, you caus’d fear.
O that a people e’er should such a harsh
And treach’rous weapon like to this create.
For who would make a thing whose only point
Is to destroy and murder, maim and kill?
What beings would produce such wickedness
As this: an instrument of pain and death?
Thus I do strike at you with vengeance in
The name of those who have no voice to speak.
Farewell, you Star of Death—be now no more!

’Tis done, and now we make our great escape.
Make ready, Admiral, for it shall blow.

Move all the fleet hence, from the Death Star, else
Our ships may from the grand explosion take
A mighty slap.

—Hurrah! They did it!

—Auugh!

Behold, and all rejoice—the deed is done!
Yet be ye still, my tongue, for what of Luke?
[ To Leia: ] Certain I am that Luke was not inside
When it did perish.

—Truly, he was not,
For I can sense he safely doth abide.

[ aside: ] O, shall the love I’ve shown thus come to naught?
Her heart doth move toward good Luke, my friend.
Thus shall I play the noble part, and stay
Aside whilst their hearts meet, though in the end
It shall undo me. [ To Leia: ] Thou dost love him? Say.

Be sure I love him.

—Thus I ascertain’d
And do respect. Good lady, do not fear:
When he returns you may be unrestrain’d;
The two of you have my consent sincere.